Brian Little was after a repeat of the eye-catching displays put in by Iain Hume and Ryan Taylor against Portsmouth in mid-week.

Any Premiership scouts impressed by their efforts against Pompey in the Carling Cup, the manager told the youngsters, would be at Torquay to see if they still shone against less glamorous opposition.

Observers who made the trip to Plainmoor will not have left disappointed. Hume and Taylor were again in sparkling form.

In particular, it was the Canadian striker's eye for goal that gave Tran-mere their first win on the road this season.

Stung by recent criticism of his away tactics, Little travelled to the south coast clearly determined to win.

While on previous trips he has fielded Calvin Zola as the main striker, supported by wingers Paul Hall and David Beresford, this time we had a straight 4-4-2.

And the choice of Hume to partner the giant Zola was inspired, with the busy little forward at the heart of just about all Tranmere's best moves.

It was his cool finish that put his side in the driving seat after just two minutes. Jason McAteer's cross-field pass found Gareth Roberts on the left and his superb cross picked out Hume finding space in between the Gulls' two centre-halves to volley home.

Three minutes from normal time he showed what a fine header of the ball he is by netting the winner. Paul Hall's surging run through the middle allowed him to lay the ball off to Dadi wide on the right. The French-man's inch-perfect delivery to the far post found the Canada international, whose downward header went in off the woodwork.

It has to be said, however, that this was a less than convincing victory against a side still searching for the first home win of the campaign. Despite a sieve-like defence, Torquay are skilful and have plenty of fight. At times Rovers rode their luck.

There was no bigger let-off than the bizarre piece of refereeing from Trevor Parkes on 15 minutes.

A long clearance from the back gave striker Martin Gritton a clear run on goal. John Achterberg raced off his line, missed the ball and collided with the Gulls forward.

The home crowd screamed for a red card, but the official's decision baffled everyone. The contact looked just outside the box, but a penalty was awarded. Gritton was free of defenders Ian Sharps and Ian Goodison before being flattened by the keeper, yet Achterberg was not even booked. A lucky escape, as was Steve Woods shooting wide from the penalty spot.

In fairness to the Tranmere defence, that incident apart, they looked their usual solid self for most of the afternoon.

There was the odd scary moment, particularly when forward Jo Kuf-four flashed a shot narrowly wide and Woods saw a late close range effort blocked by Ryan Taylor, who was impressive both at the back and pushing forward in support of wide man Hall.

Achterberg's only real save came early in the second-half, the keeper flinging himself to his left to tip away Kuffour's low shot.

The Dutchman and his defenders could do little about Torquay's equal-iser on 55 minutes. A real bolt from the blue from midfielder Alex Russell, his spectacular overhead kick from 20 yards looping into the far corner.

That strike served as a much needed wake-up call for Rovers, who had started the second period with less urgency than their opponents. There had been plenty of neat, short passing in midfield, but little penetration in the final third.

Rovers stepped up a gear thanks largely to the direct running of the excellent Hall and of course Hume. Great link-up play between Taylor and the pair saw Hall's cross flash invitingly across the goal mouth before David Beresford sent in an identical delivery from the left. All it needed was someone on the goal line to tap home.

A cracking first time shot from Hall was tipped over by Arjan van Heusden, while Eugene Dadi, on for the tiring Zola, did well to make space inside the box but shot straight at the Gulls keeper.

The Frenchman was then involved in an excellent move with Hume and Hall that released sub Theodore Whitmore on the far side of the box. The skilful Jamaican had time to line up his shot, but disappointingly hit the side netting.

Fittingly, it was left to Hume to have the final word and the win lifted Rovers into an automatic promotion place.

Whether any Premiership scouts really did make the long trek to Torquay is irrelevant, Little's mind games had the desired effect.

Surely a clash between second place Tranmere and leaders Luton Town at Prenton this weekend will have the scouts out in their droves.